After the System confirmed his theory, Kael was left not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

  This "New World Mode" was truly a masterclass in scamming.

  And at that very moment, Ying Feng was beginning to realize it too.

  "Why do these martial techniques look so familiar?" Ying Feng muttered, staring intently at his skill tree, deep in thought.

  Seeing his expression, Kael could easily guess what was going through the young man's mind. But he couldn't exactly tell him straight to his face: If you didn't find your own martial arts familiar, there would be something seriously wrong with your brain.

  If a player couldn't even recognize the skills they used in real life, they were probably a lost cause anyway. Besides, the real fun of New World Mode was meant to be the interaction between players.

  "Oh, Boss, you're here too."

  As Ying Feng was studying his skill tree, his vision suddenly darkened for a split second, and a figure appeared right in front of him.

  "Once there are more people, everyone will spawn here," Kael said expressionlessly.

  "I know that, the beginner's guide mentioned it. It also said something about dungeons, right?" Ying Feng was visibly excited. This small mountain village presented a rustic, primitive charm completely different from the grand city-states he knew. More importantly, it truly felt like a completely new world.

  "Forget about dungeons for now. You're better off leveling up in the wild first," Kael advised kindly.

  Even now, Kael was still wearing his basic Novice Set. Because he hadn't entered a dungeon yet and had only been grinding goblins in the wild, he hadn't seen a single piece of equipment drop.

  Dungeons were called dungeons for a reason—they were significantly harder than the wild and were guarded by actual bosses. Without enough levels and the right skill points invested, rushing into a dungeon was basically suicide.

  More importantly, they didn't have enough people. The first major map currently only had one instance, aptly named "The Goblin Mountains," and it strictly required a party of three. You couldn't even open the entrance without a full team.

  "It's fine, Boss. I'm just going to go check out the scenery first." After finishing his inspection of his skill tree and his gear, Ying Feng sheathed the novice iron sword the system had given him and strolled toward the mountains.

  Kael watched his retreating back, his eyes lingering on that flimsy iron sword.

  Ying Feng clearly hadn't realized that the "wild" in New World Mode was far from safe. The goblins inhabiting those mountains would show absolutely no mercy to outsiders. The only designated safe zone on this entire map was the village at the foot of the mountain. Everywhere else was a combat zone where goblin ambushes were highly likely.

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  But Ying Feng didn't know any of this. As a complete gaming novice, he had no concept of "safe zones" versus "aggro zones." All he wanted to do was explore.

  The Goblin Mountains were rugged and densely wooded, filled with massive trees and caves that provided endless hiding spots.

  "What a beautiful view..."

  Ying Feng was still busy admiring the landscape when a green-skinned goblin suddenly leaped out from the thick foliage and smashed a wooden club directly onto his head.

  Ying Feng felt a blinding pain in the back of his skull.

  The next second, a shower of arrows rained down on him. In the distance, he could just barely make out several small green creatures holding bows, grinning to reveal rows of sharp, jagged teeth.

  Then, Ying Feng's consciousness faded to black...

  Back in the village, Kael was wandering around after watching Ying Feng head into the mountains.

  He had done a rough sweep last night and confirmed there were no NPCs around. However, all the houses had their doors shut tight, and he had no idea what was inside. Logically speaking, a safe zone should at least have a potion shop and an equipment vendor.

  He tried pushing the doors of various houses. None of them budged.

  "It seems these buildings serve other purposes." Kael pressed his face against a window to peer inside, but it was pitch black.

  Just as he was pondering this, the door of the house right next to him suddenly swung open.

  A thoroughly bewildered Ying Feng walked out.

  "How did you get in there?" Kael asked, staring at him in surprise.

  "Boss, how are you here?" Ying Feng stared back, equally confused. He stood there for a long moment, processing what had just happened, before finally speaking. "I only remember looking at the scenery, then something whacked me with a club, and when I woke up, I was in here."

  "A goblin ambush? Ah, then this must be the Respawn Point." Kael nodded thoughtfully.

  So the locked houses did have specific functions. Though, it was also possible that most of them were just decorative. After all, a completely empty village would look entirely out of place.

  "Respawn Point? Oh! The Respawn Point!" Ying Feng was confused for a second before he recalled the beginner's guide the crystal ball had downloaded into his brain. It had indeed mentioned something about respawning.

  "So just now..."

  "Exactly. You were beaten to death by goblins," Kael confirmed bluntly.

  "Those damn little green-skins!" Ying Feng's face instantly flushed with anger.

  Rage was the primal driving force of combat. The fact that Ying Feng was genuinely furious at the goblins proved that the New World Mode had already successfully hooked him.

  Cough, cough...

  Just as Ying Feng drew his iron sword, fully intending to march back into the mountains to settle the score, a faint coughing sound interrupted him.

  The door to one of the wooden cabins creaked open, and a hunched, elderly man hobbled out.

  "Sigh... has someone else been hurt by those creatures in the mountains?" the old man lamented as he stepped outside.

  Here it comes. The long-awaited NPC.

  The moment Kael saw the old man, his gamer instincts fired off: There's definitely a quest here. Isn't this how all classic MMOs start?

  Kael immediately walked up to him and asked, "Old man, why can't we see anyone else in this village?"

  The old man looked up at Kael and sighed deeply. "The people of this village... they've all fled."

  As the old man began to tell his story, Kael finally got the lore of the starting zone.

  It turned out this village used to be a thriving, idyllic place. The locals were self-sufficient, relying on farming and hunting to make a living. However, about half a year ago, hordes of goblins migrated into the nearby mountains.

  These green-skinned menaces occupied the hunting grounds, making it impossible for the villagers to gather food. Worse, they frequently raided the village, injuring people and leaving everyone in a state of constant terror.

  Over time, the villagers began to pack up and leave. Only a few elders, who refused to abandon the homes they had lived in their entire lives, remained.

  And now, this old man was the very last resident left in the entire village.